[Norm K]

The Beavers notwithstanding, even this Duck has to acknowledge that Corn-valley is a fabulous little town. It's a little more than an hour from the coast and only a couple hours from the Cascades. And never mind that the Willamette Valley is beautiful in its own right. My father was the sports editor of the Gazette Times in the fifties, plus I spent a few years there myself before moving from the state. My sister's been there for about thirty years and adores it.

Get yourself a nine-weight fly rod, rig it with some heavy sinking line and head out for some amazing (once you get the hang of it) Winter Steelhead fishing on the Alsea. And lest we ignore the big daddy of the river, there's a fine Fall Chinook run, too. The Santiam's close by as well, and even the mighty Rogue is within a couple hours.

Oh, and buy some rain gear.

_